Is Kentucky's Stepstone Church Really Haunted?

 

Stepstone Church - Photo from Mapio

Established in 1792, Mt. Sterling is a town of around 7,500 people in northeastern Kentucky. Though Hugh Forbes developed the town, he wasn't the first resident. Long before white men arrived, Native Americans lived in the region and called the town Little Mountain for the ancient burial mound there. Forbes named the city in honor of the Scottish town Stirling, but a mistake on the paperwork led to the official name of Mt. Sterling with an “e” instead of an “i.”

Despite its small size, Mt. Sterling is home to a popular haunted church. Known as Stepstone Church due to its location on Stepstone Road, the abandoned church is supposedly haunted by four teenage girls.

It only takes one look to understand how stories about this church started. Portions of the roof and the walls are missing, leaving the interior exposed to the elements. High weeds and grass grow wild in the warmer months and seem to block off access. Just imagine driving by at night and seeing the old church on the side of the road!

One article I came across stated that Stepstone Church was built in 1860 and used for many years before its parishioners moved to a new church. I also read that it was on the National Register of Historic Places, but I didn't see it listed. For some, the reason the parishioners left is much more spooky.

Local legend claims a madman was obsessed with a teenage girl. One night, her parents were gone and he saw his opportunity. Not knowing she invited friends over to spend the night, he made his way into the house. Finding four girls, he acted quickly, subdued them, and moved them to the church. There, he hung the poor girls in the loft, set the church on fire, and stepped back to watch the action unfold.

By the time anyone saw the flickering flames, it was far too late for the girls. The flames were too high to fight, though the locals did their best. By the next morning, little was left of the church other than what you see today. The man got away with his crimes as he left town and was never seen again.

Another version of the story says that it was a group of local men. They took the poor teens to the church with nefarious plans in mind. Once they did what they set out to do, the cries of the girls shook them to their core. Knowing what would happen when the policy learned what they did, they quickly set the church on fire and left, leaving any evidence destroyed in the blaze.

According to a local tale, the ghosts of the girls now haunt Stepstone Church. Many heard the soft sounds of female voices laughing and crying. They say the girls were eager to join the men at first and had a good time, laughing and drinking with them until things turned dark. Their cries come later as they realize what the men planned to do.

Some also avoid going anywhere near the loft. While some feel uncomfortable, others feel stricken with fear as if there is something that doesn't want them there. When visitors use foul language, drink, use drugs, or do anything else the girls dislike, the ghosts will scream to express their disapproval.

I can't say if Stepstone Church is haunted or not, but you can always visit and let me know what you see. The haunted Stepstone Church is in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky.